Syllabi for Faysash

Meteorology 1010

CRN 22048 Spring 2019

Introduction to Meteorology (MET1010 – CRN 22048)

Valencia College West Campus Spring 2019

Dear Students,

My name is David Faysash and I would like to welcome you to your meteorology course. I am very happy that you chose this course. I want to let you know that I am very excited to teach meteorology. I hope to instill my love of this subject into all of my students this semester.

Prof. Faysash

“Choose a job that you love, and you will never work a day in your life”—Confucius

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name: David Faysash

Office location: This is an on-line course and I do not have an office on campus.

Office phone: You can call my Google voicemail (208) 615-4928 and leave a message. I will try to call you back as soon as I can.

Email: dfaysash@valenciacollege.edu

Fax: I do not have a fax number. If you need to send me a document you can either scan the document or take a picture of it and send it to me via email.

Office Hours: Since this is an on-line class I do not have official office hours. For summer courses I am available M-F from 9 am-4pm. For fall and spring courses I’m available from 5 pm-8 pm M-F and Saturdays 9-5. If you need to speak to me on the phone I will call you during those times.

Teaching Styles: This course is taught entirely on-line via Canvas. Students will need to login regularly and do the assigned tasks for each chapter module. This will include reading the assigned chapter in the book, completing the optional study guide, posting in the discussion forum, doing the assigned homework in the Cengage website, and taking quizzes (quizzes are about every other week). This is not a traditional lecture course; rather students will learn the information by reading the assigned chapters, reading my summary notes for the chapters, visiting websites for additional information, and reading posts in the discussion forum.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

I want you to know that I have high expectations for you. I firmly believe that if you work hard, study, and do your best that you will have great success in this class. Challenge yourself to do your best this semester!

“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work”—Booker T. Washington

COURSE INFORMATION

Contact days and hours/week: This course will run from January 7-April 28. Students can take their final exam anytime between April 22-April 27. Since this an on-line course, students can login and do their work at any time. Students are expected to put between 6 and 9 hours per chapter module studying the course material.

Class meeting location(s): There is no meeting location. You will do the work on-line.

Term the course is offered: Spring 2019

Credit hours earned upon passing: 3 hours.

Prerequisite(s) and Co-requisite(s): Since this course is taught entirely online, students will need to have an Internet connection that is regular and reliable. Students should be up to speed in using the different tools in an online classroom. There are not any specific course requirements but it is helpful that you have an understanding of Algebra.

Course Description (From the course catalog): Introduction to study of atmospheric phenomena. Includes study of atmospheric structure, heat budget, winds, air pollution, and local and regional weather forecasting.

Major Topics/Concepts/Skills/Issues

· Atmospheric Composition

· Heating the Atmosphere

· Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

· Air Pressure, Winds, and Circulation

· Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, and Hurricanes

· Weather Fronts and Forecasting

· Air Pollution and Climate Change

Major Learning Outcomes and Evidence

· Students will describe the major components of the atmosphere: Compare and contrast the layers of the atmosphere. Describe the major gases and constituents in the air, and their effects and importance.

· Students will be able to discuss the process of heating the atmosphere: Compare and contrast the forms of energy transfer. Discuss the Greenhouse Effect.

· Students will be able to discuss the components of the hydrologic cycle, and differentiate types of clouds and precipitation: Calculate humidity and adiabatic cooling rates. Compare and contrast the two main types of precipitation formation.

· Students will be able to explain the relation between air pressure and winds, and differentiate between global and local winds: Compare and contrast cyclones and anticyclones. Categorize the various types of local and global wind systems.

· Students will be able to classify the types of storm systems, and explain their formation and destructive forces: Compare and contrast severe and isolated thunderstorms with respect to formation and duration. Differentiate between tornadoes and hurricanes with respect to size, formation, and occurrence.

· Students will be able to explain the types of weather patterns and methods of forecasting: Compare and contrast warm and cold fronts and distinguish the types of weather that result from each.

· Students will discuss types of air pollution, their respective health effects, and the history of pollution: Classify the types of major air pollutants, their sources, and explain their health and/or environmental effects.

· Students will be able to explain climate change and compare evidence for human causes: Discuss climate change through Earth’s history, and differentiate between types of proxy data. Interpret evidence for human sources of climate change, and discuss possible short- and long-term effects. Calculate their carbon footprint and analyze methods for reducing carbon emissions.

· Students will be able to discuss components of the hydrologic cycle: Students will apply knowledge to assess precipitation in an area.

· Students will be able to explain the types of weather patterns and methods of forecasting: Students will apply meteorological knowledge about storms and systems.

Required, Recommended, Supplemental and Optional Instructional Materials

1. Required textbook: Essentials of Meteorology LI with Mindtap. Author: Ahrens. Edition 8.

ISBN 1337584398 You need to purchase the text with the access to the online Mindtap program from Cengage.

You have to in some way, shape, or form have access to the online Cengage Mindtap program that comes with the book. The weekly chapter homework assignments are on it.

I will provide additional information about the book and access to the online components in the introductory module in Canvas.

2. Access to a computer that has regular and reliable Internet connection. Students should plan on logging into the course via Canvas at least 2-3 times per week.

3. In addition to having access to a computer with regular/reliable Internet connection the computer should also have a web browser, word processing software, and a PDF reader.

4. Students should be familiar with how to browse the web, how to communicate via email, and how to use word processing software. I would recommend that students use the spell and grammar checks on the word processing software to edit any discussion forum posts.

5. You do not need a special calculator; in fact you can use the calculator on your computer if needed.

6. Students will submit all course assignments electronically. I will return the results to you electronically. This course is entirely paperless.

Delays in getting the textbook

You will need the official textbook for this course by the first day of the semester. If you are unable to get the book until after the course begins you can follow these guidelines. However, you will need to do the coursework and not having the book will not be accepted as an excuse.

1. Complete all administrative items (downloading/printing the syllabus and schedule, posting an introduction, and returning the class contract) during the first week of the semester.

2. Read the chapter power point lecture slides.

3. Answer the study guide questions—use the chapter lectures slides and/or google search the questions.

4. Read all of the messages posted in the discussion forums (you may only be able to read messages after you have posted something).

5. Go to the publisher's website for the book. See what free resources are available to you. You can also try searching the publisher's website for similar books and different editions.

6. See if slightly older editions of the book or similar meteorology books are available from the library.

7. You will still have to participate in the weekly forum discussions for this class. If you follow suggestions 1-7 you should be able to still successfully participate.

These guidelines are not enough to replace to the textbook entirely but they should allow you to learn enough information to participate in the weekly discussion forums. This participation is part of your grade.

Refund of Fees & Important Dates

Drop/Refund deadline (January 15th @ 11:59 p.m.)

Student Withdrawal deadline (March 22nd @ 11:59 p.m.)

Click here for important dates.

Course Mechanics

This is an online course and it is different from traditional classroom based courses. In a classroom based course the professor typically lectures and has class discussions. Since this is an online course I will not hold traditional lectures but I will provide lecture notes/explanations of concepts for students to read.

It is very important that students keep up with the due dates for assignments. Assignments will have a 10% grade deduction for every day it is late up to 5 days. Beyond 5 days I cannot accept them. It is also important that students do not wait until the last minute to do the assignments. Students should commit at least 6 hours per chapter module. For summer classes new modules will be posted every 2-3 days. For spring and fall classes new modules will be posted weekly.

Here is what you will have to do for each chapter module. I will send out an announcement notifying students when each new module is ready. Here is what you will need to do for each module.

1. Students will be assigned the selected chapter in the textbook.

2. Students will be given chapter lecture slides. Please view them.

3. Students will be given a study guide. This is a set of topics/questions that students should be able to answer and explain after reading both the chapter and the chapter lecture slides.

4. Students will have to post to the weekly discussion forum (aka class participation).

5. Students will have to complete the chapter homework on the Cengage Mindtap website.

6. Students will have to complete the assigned writing topic or lab.

6. Just about every other week there will be an on-line quiz

Students will need to submit at least one of the following—discussion forum post, quiz, homework, or writing assignment, by the due date to be considered in attendance for the week (please see attendance section). You can't just log in to Canvas and have that count as being in attendance.

Here is the course schedule of assignments. It is very important that students keep up with the assignment deadlines.

Module Begins	Assigned Chapter To Read	Assignments & Due Dates
1/7	Introductory Module	1. Course Syllabus Assignment 1/14 2. Introductory Discussion Forum 1/14
1/7	Chapter 1: Earth’s Atmosphere	1. Chapter 1 Discussion Forum 1/14 2. Cengage Chapter 1 Homework 1/18 3. Writing topic: “Compare and contrast the layers of the atmosphere and Describe the major gases and constituents in the air, and their effects and importance” 1/18
1/14	Chapter 2: Warming and Cooling Earth and the Atmosphere	1. Chapter 2 Discussion Forum Post 1/20 2. Cengage Chapter 2 Homework 1/25 3. Writing topic: “Compare and contrast the forms of energy transfer and Discuss the Greenhouse Effect” 1/25
1/21	Chapter 3: Air Temperature	1. Chapter 3 Discussion Forum Post 1/28 2. Quiz 1 Chapters 1 & 2 2/1 3. Cengage Chapter 3 Homework 2/1
1/28	Chapter 4: Humidity, Condensation, & Clouds	1. Chapter 4 Discussion Forum Post 2/4 2. Humidity & Adiabatic Cooling Lab & Quiz 2/8 3. Cengage Chapter 4 Homework 2/8
2/4	Chapter 5: Cloud Development & Precipitation	1. Chapter 5 Discussion Forum Post 2/11 2. Quiz 2 Chapters 3 & 4 2/15 3. Cengage Chapter 5 Homework 2/15 4. Writing topic “Compare and contrast the two main types of precipitation formation” 2/15
2/11	Chapter 6: Air Pressure & Winds	1. Chapter 6 Discussion Forum Post 2/18 2. Cengage Chapter 6 Homework 2/22 4. Writing topic: “Compare and contrast cyclones and anticyclones” 2/22
2/18	Chapter 7: Atmospheric Circulations	1. Chapter 7 Discussion Forum Post 2/25 2. Quiz 3 Chapters 5 & 6 3/1 3. Cengage Chapter 7 Homework 3/1 4. Writing prompt “Categorize the various types of local and global wind systems” 3/1
2/25	Chapter 8: Air Masses, Fronts, and Middle Latitude Cyclones	1. Chapter 8 Discussion Forum Post 3/4 2. Cengage Chapter 8 Homework 3/8 3. Writing topic: “Compare and contrast warm and cold front, and distinguish the types of weather the results from each” 3/8
3/4	Chapter 9 Weather Forecasting	1. Chapter 9 Discussion Forum Post 3/10 2. Quiz 4 Chapters 7&8 3/10 3. Cengage Chapter 9 Homework 3/10
3/4	Chapter 10: Thunderstorms & Tornadoes	1. Chapter 10 Discussion Forum 3/18 2. Cengage Chapter 10 Homework 3/22 3. Writing topic “Compare and contrast severe and isolated thunderstorms with respect to formation and duration” 3/22
3/18	Chapter 11: Hurricanes	1. Chapter 11 Discussion Forum Post 3/25 2. Writing topic: “Differentiate between tornadoes and hurricanes with respect to size, formation, and occurrence” 3/29 3. Cengage Chapter 11 Homework 3/29 4. Quiz for Ch 9&10 3/29
3/25	Chapter 12: Global Climate	1. Chapter 12 Discussion Forum Post 4/1 2. Cengage Chapter 12 Homework 4/5
4/1	Chapter 13: Earth’s Changing Climate	1. Chapter 13 Discussion Forum Post 4/8 2. Quiz 6 Chapters 11 & 12 4/12 3. Cengage Chapter 13 Homework 4/12 4. Writing topic: “Discuss climate change through Earth’s history, and differentiate between types of proxy data & Interpret evidence for human sources of climate change, and discuss short- and long-term effects” 4/12
4/8	Chapter 14: Air Pollution	1. Chapter 14 Discussion Forum Post 4/15 2. Quiz 7 Chapters 13 & 14 4/19 3. Cengage Chapter 14 Homework 4/19 4. Writing topic: “Classify the types of major air pollutants, their sources, and explain their health and or environmental effects” 4/19
4/22-4/27	Final Exam	Final Exam due 4/27

I will now give a detailed explanation of the chapter module activities.

1. Reading the assigned chapter in the textbook: I would suggest that students do the following to get the most out of their textbook. Before reading the chapter, survey the chapter—read the contents, look at the headings (even turn them into questions to answer like “What is an Air Mass?”), read the chapter summary, and look at the questions for review/questions for thought and exploration at the end of the chapter. When reading the chapter, highlight important information and take notes. As you read the chapter answer the study guide questions that I provide for you. I would suggest doing an outline of the chapter and write notes in your own words. After reading the chapter I would suggest defining the key terms (in your own words) and answering the questions at the end of the chapter.

2. Chapter lecture slides: I will provide lectures slides for each chapter. These are the slides that I would use in a traditional face to face class. You can add additional information in the chapter study guide.

3. Study guide: I will provide a study guide with questions and concepts that students should answer on their own as they read the chapter and the chapter lecture slides. This is non-graded assignment, just another tool students can use to help them learn the material. Answer the study guide questions as you read the chapter and watch the PowerPoint presentations.

4. Chapter discussion forum post

First I want students to know that they do not have to go this course alone without any help. I am here to help you and so are your classmates. With that said I am setting up chapter discussion forums for students to post their explanations of concepts we are learning as well as a forum to ask questions about the content. For each chapter module students will have to post to the discussion forum. I highly encourage students to read all of the posts in the discussion forums. The discussion forum posts are your required interaction. I would encourage all students to do more than the one required weekly post: read all of the posts and whenever possible reply and respond to other students' questions. Your professor will also be an active participant.

For each chapter module students will have to do one in-depth discussion forum post. I will have detailed information about discussion forum posting and grading in Canvas but you will essentially pick one topic from the chapter, give an in-depth explanation about it and explain how it relates to your everyday life.

This is an uncomfortable topic but I need to share this with you. When you answer these questions please answer them in your own words (as if you were trying to explain the concept to someone in the class). It’s not a good idea (in fact it is wrong) to copy and paste answers from the book, copy and paste answers from what you found from the Internet, etc, even if that includes copying something and just changing and modifying a few words. You are a smart person and I know each of you can answer these questions. Please see the section about academic honesty for more information. At my discretion I may run your answer through the Canvas plagiarism checker.

Etiquette on the discussion boards—Students will need to conduct themselves in a civil manner with their classmates in the discussion forums. I’ve been fortunate that the vast majority of the discussion forum interactions in my courses have been positive and polite—please do the same. A good rule to live by in the on-line environment is to pretend you are talking to that person face to face—would you say the same thing in the same way to that person face to face instead of what I like to call ‘hiding behind a reply’. If you disagree with someone or find that they have an error please email them privately instead of posting it to the forum. Let me handle any errors (typically if there is an error in a post I will ask follow up questions to address it).

4. Chapter homework assignments—These are available via https://www.cengage.com/dashboard/#/login

Each chapter will have a pre-test, a mastery training, and a post test. These are untimed and I will count the chapter post test as your chapter homework grade.

5. Writing Topics and Lab Quizzes: These are designed to assess the evidence of the major learning outcomes detailed in the course description. There is typically one writing topic just about every week. One week there will be a lab activity and lab quiz and another week there is online exercise to do. Detailed information about each writing topic will be posted in the corresponding chapter module. All writing topics will be check for plagiarism with the Unicheck Plagiarism Checker.

6. Online quizzes and final exam: These are taken in Canvas. You will take all quizzes and the final exam online via Canvas. You do not have to take any of the tests on campus (woo-hoo!). With that said here are the guidelines for the online quizzes and final exams.

a. Quizzes and the final exam are open book and open notes and you are allowed to use calculators.

b. Quizzes and the final exam will have a time limit. The purpose of this is to test you on what you learned. If you find that you are constantly looking through the book to find the answers then you have not prepared for the test and you will likely run out of time! The quizzes and final exam should automatically submit themselves at the end of the scheduled time. You are responsible for keeping track of the time. You will be penalized if the quizzes and final exam are not submitted on time.

i. The quizzes will have 30 questions and you will have 60 minutes.

ii. The final exam will have 60 questions and you will have 2 hours.

c. The questions for the quizzes will be multiple choice, and true false. The final exam will be multiple choice only.

d. Computer problems—you may have legitimate computer problems during quizzes. If that happens please do everything that you can to document the problem and contact me immediately. I can reset your quiz so that you can take it again but I have also lost control of the test. At my discretion I may assign you an alternate makeup quiz. With a makeup quiz it will be harder and will likely consist of essay questions. I have to do this because I have lost the integrity of the original quiz. Be very careful that you don't cause any problems with the quizzes as you are taking them. If you think that you might have computer/Internet problems then you can always using the computer labs at Valencia to take your quizzes. The first time that a student has to take a makeup quiz, due to computer problems, I may either reset the quiz or create an alternate makeup quiz. The student can take the quiz anywhere. For the second time I have to reset a quiz I will not reset the quiz but rather give a more challenging makeup quiz that will be taken in a proctored setting on campus at a testing center.

For the final exam I will not reset it if there are any problems. If a problem comes up during the final exam then you will get a much harder makeup exam that will be given in a proctored setting on campus.

e. Preparing for your quizzes and final exam: Students should read the chapters several times, once to get an idea of what is in the chapter and again to ensure that you understand the concepts. Students are also encouraged to outline and take notes on the chapter. Students should also read the chapter notes and explain each concept in the study guide portion of the notes. In addition, post questions to the discussion forums when you need help with concepts.

Students will need to submit any one of the items: weekly discussion forum post or quiz by the due date to be considered in attendance for the week (please see attendance section). You can't just log in to Canvas and have that count as being in attendance.

STUDENT SUCCESS INFORMATION

Grades

Grading scale (points/letter grades)

A=100-90% B=89.49-80% C=79.49-70% D=69.49-60% F: less than 60%

Grade break down—how you will earn your points

1. Introductory assignments 5%

2. Chapter Discussion Forum Posts—15 total 15%

3. Chapter Homework Assignments—15 total 15 %

4. Writing Topics & Lab Quizzes 15%

4. Quizzes--8 quizzes each worth 5 % of your grade 40%

5. Final Exam 10%

I will be using a weighted average to determine your final grade. The formula will be something like this

Final Grade= (Introductory assignments x 0.05) + (Discussion Forum Average x .15) + (Homework assignments x .15) + (Writing Prompts x .15) + (Quiz Average x .40) + (Final Exam x .10)

You might be confused why your grade doesn’t match the points you have divided by the total number of points. Remember this is a weighted average. Just check the “Weighted Average” column in the grade center to know your actual grade. I usually post this after the first quiz.

I will round the final percentage grade to the nearest point. For example if a student earns a 79.5% I will round it up to an 80% “B” but if they earn a 79.4% then it will be rounded down to a 79% “C”.

Final Exam date, time and place

There will be a final exam which students will take on-line. They can take it at any time between April 22-27^th (The term ends on 4/28 but I need that day to process grades before the deadline). I would encourage students to take the final exam earlier in the week in case there are any glitches.

The final exam will have 60 multiple choice questions (4 from each chapter). Students will have two hours to complete the exam.

Missing the final exam will result in a 10% (1 letter grade) drop in a student’s grade until the student takes a make up final, at which time a grade of A, B, C, D or F will be given.

Late Work, Make-up Policies, and Procedures

I want to let you know that the biggest thing that can bring down a student’s grade is missing work. I also want to let you know that you are 100% capable of keeping up with the work in this class! With that said here are my policies:

1. Any missing assignment (weekly forum discussion post, missing quiz) will result in a grade of a zero (0%) for that assignment. This will cause a reduction in the student's overall grade.

2. Any assignment not submitted by the specified date and time in the schedule of assignments is considered late. The only exception is if you have contacted me and I have approved an extension. I can give students an extension for documented situations—hospital stays (verification needed), illnesses (doctor’s note is needed), military duty (documentation needed), jury duty (documentation needed), death in the family/family emergency (documentation needed). I cannot give extensions to students who tell me they are having personal problems and haven’t done their work. I will work with the students on an individual basis to determine the extension. Again it has to be for a documented situation.

3. I will accept late work (discussion forum posts, labs, quizzes) for a reduced grade. I will deduct 10% for every day an assignment is submitted late up to 5 days. If the student earned a 72% on the assignment and they turn it in 4 days late then their score will be 72 – 20 = 52%. After five days the student will receive a zero. If the student has a special situation I can give them an extension, but this would be for things like a hospital stay, jury duty, etc. Again it is up to the student to make me aware of this and it has to be for a special situation.

It is very important that students keep up with the due dates for assignments. Assignments that are more than 5 days overdue cannot be accepted. Sometimes students will not do assignments for several weeks and then ask if they can make them up. The answer is always NO! The only exceptions for documented emergencies.

4. The late policy does not apply to the final exam and/or any assignments due during the last week. I have to submit grades the Monday after final exams week and I am not able to process late assignments.

5. Unfortunately I cannot accept computer/Internet problems an excuse for turning in your work late. Come up with a plan for alternate computer/Internet use ahead of time in case something goes wrong with your primary computer/Internet access. I would encourage students to submit assignments ahead of time instead of at the last minute.

6. If there is a college server outage on the due date and you are unable to access the online classroom then these policies and procedures will apply

a. Email me the assignment as an attachment before the assignment is due. I would also encourage you to leave me a voice mail.

b. If you do not have Internet access, please leave me a voice mail.

c. If there are any problems with the Canvas server that stops you from taking any exam/quiz, I will make a reasonable accommodation.

7. If there is an extenuating/emergency circumstance please make every effort to contact me to discuss the situation and allow you an extension on your assignments. I will need some sort of official documentation (ex: doctor's note, court summons, etc) to be able to approve an extension.

I want to let you know that I understand that things happen to everyone—unexpected illnesses, family emergencies, etc. I want to let you know that if something major comes up please let me know as soon as possible so that I can work with you.

8. Unfortunately I don’t allow students to redo writing assignments, discussion forum posts, or tests because they are unhappy with their grade. If I allowed students to redo their assignments then this would double the amount of grading that I have to do every week.

Extra Credit Policy

I will offer extra credit at the end of the term for up to 4 points total added to the final grade. For example if a student earns a 68% and they do the assigned extra credit then that should be enough to bump them up to a 70% “C”. Extra credit will be given towards the end of the semester, but not during the last week of class. Unfortunately I do not take student requests for extra credit. For example, if a student has a 54% and they ask for extra credit to bring their grade up to a 70% then I cannot accept that request. I would encourage all students to do extra credit—it might just give you the extra point you need to get to the next letter grade.

Attendance Policy

Instructors will have to use their professional judgment to determine if students are actively participating in class and are in attendance. I will use the following policy to determine student attendance, to determine grades (based on lack of attendance), and any administrative withdrawals for lack of attendance.

1. Students can withdraw from a course without any academic penalty as long as it is by the deadline established by the college's calendar. A student will earn a grade of a “W” for the course and it will not count against their GPA. The student withdrawal deadline is March 22, 2019 at 11:59 pm.

2. To be marked as present or in attendance for the week a student will need to submit at least one assignment per week. Simply logging into Canvas does not count as attending.

3. Students are responsible for withdrawing from the course by the date published in the college academic calendar. Students who want to withdraw must do so himself/herself in accordance with current college procedures. I will not withdraw students for this course.

4. Students who stay in the course after the withdrawal deadline will earn a grade of an A, B, C, D, F, or I.

5. Students will need to be in attendance for the first week. The drop/refund deadline is March 22, 2019 and the faculty no-show reporting period is right after that. I have to document your attendance during the first week of class. In order to be counted as present and in attendance during the first week of class you must complete one of the assignments for the first week—returning your signed syllabus contract and/or posting in one of the discussion forums.

Students will be dropped as a no-show after the Drop deadline and during the No Show period if they do not complete one of assignments from the Chapter 1 module.

6. Computer reliability and Internet access: Students will need a computer with reliable internet access. I cannot accept as an excuse that a student's computer/internet is not working as a reason for not completing assignments on time as well as a reason for non-attendance.

7. Students are subject to receive a final grade of an “F” if they DO NOT WITHDRAW THEMSELVES BY THE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE AND SUBSEQUENTLY ABANDON THE COURSE.

Withdrawal Deadline and Policy

A student who withdraws from class before the withdrawal deadline of March 22, 2019 will receive a grade of “W.” A faculty member is permitted to withdraw a student from the faculty member's class up to the beginning of the final exam period, for violation of the faculty member's attendance policy, as published in the faculty member's syllabus. A student is not permitted to withdraw from this class after the withdrawal deadline; if you remain in the class after the withdrawal deadline, you can only receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F or I. An I grade will only be assigned under extraordinary circumstances that occur near the end of the semester. If you receive an I, the work missed must be made up during the following semester, at which time you will get an A, B,C,D or F. Failure to make up the work during the following semester will result in you getting a grade of F in the course. Any student who withdraws from this class during a third or subsequent attempt in this course will be assigned a grade of “F.”

I want to let you know that I am not going to withdraw students for any reason. It will be up to you to withdraw yourself for any reason.

Students who are on financial aid should consult with an advisor or counselor before withdrawing from a course. There may be financial implications to the student which he or she must know about to make an informed decision before withdrawing from a course. Students with some scholarships who withdraw or are withdrawn from a class must pay the college for the cost of the class. Other scholarship sponsors may also require repayment.

In order to academically maintain financial aid, students must meet all of the following requirements:

? Complete 67% of all classes attempted, and

? Maintain a Valencia GPA of 2.0 or higher, and

? Maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher, and

? Complete degree within the 150% timeframe

Detailed information about maintaining satisfactory academic progress (SAP) can be found at:

http://valenciacollege.edu/finaid/satisfactory_progress.cfm

- For a complete policy and procedure overview on Valencia Policy 4-07 please got to:

http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=75&volumeID_1=4&navst=0

Course Attempts/Course Withdrawal

Agencies and organizations which provide financial assistance/scholarships (federal and state government, businesses, etc.) may have requirements relative to withdrawal, course repeats and grade forgiveness which are more stringent than those described below. It is your responsibility to verify the effects of enrollment and/or withdrawal upon your financial assistance (financial aid, scholarships, grants, etc.).

According to State Rule 6A-14.0301, you may attempt the same course only three times at Valencia including the original grade, repeat grades and withdrawals at any point in the term. Students in Bachelor’s degree programs are limited to two attempts. The same course usually means the subject prefix and course number are the same when posted on a Valencia transcript. Courses that have been deemed equivalent will all count as attempts even if the current course number is not the same as your previous attempt(s). Being enrolled in a course for credit beyond the Drop/Refund Deadline counts as an attempt. The Drop/Refund Deadline for each term is listed in the Academic Calendar in the online official catalog.

Notice to Students Seeking to Withdraw from a Course(s)

Before you withdraw from a course, you should be aware that course withdrawals:

· Will increase the cost of your education

· May affect your financial aid status

· May affect your transfer grade point average

· May result in your having to pay the full cost of instruction fee to retake the course

· May affect your anticipated graduation date

· May result in your being denied access to limited access programs

· May affect your eligibility for the Honors Program

· May affect your immigration status if you are attending Valencia on a nonimmigrant visa

· Will result in your required repayment of course fees paid by a Bright Futures scholarship.

To withdraw from a course(s) you must access registration on Atlas. The Withdrawal Deadlines for each term are published in the Academic Calendar in the online official catalog. All requests for withdrawals must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the Withdrawal Deadline date March 22, 2019.

Before you withdraw:

· Talk with your professor to discuss your progress in the course

· See a Student Services staff member to discuss how a withdrawal will affect your career and education plans and/or the status of your financial aid

Conditions That Apply to a First or Second Attempt in a Course

On or Before the Withdrawal Deadline:

During a first or second attempt in the same course at Valencia, if you withdraw, or are withdrawn by the professor, you will receive a W (Withdrawn). You will not receive credit for the course, and the W will not be calculated in your grade point average; however, the enrollment will count in your total attempts in the specific course.

Following withdrawal, you may, with the professor’s approval, continue to attend the course for the remainder of the term.

After the Withdrawal Deadline:

A student is not permitted to withdraw after the withdrawal deadline. A professor may withdraw you up to the beginning of the final exam period for violation of the class attendance policy, as published in the faculty member's syllabus, in which case you will receive a grade of “W”. If the professor does not withdraw you, your grade will be what you had earned.

For a complete policy and procedure overview on Valencia Policy 4-07 please got to:

http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=75&volumeID_1=4&navst=0

Valencia College Core Competencies

Valencia college has four core competencies (think, value, communicate, and act) that help to prepare students for success in the world. You can find these competencies in the college catalog. You will work on these competencies through the various activities in this course.

ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM INFORMATION

Special Copyright Notification

I will offer PowerPoint presentations that use graphics from the publisher’s textbook. I have consulted with the publisher and I have permission to use these graphics. Students may view my PowerPoint presentations but everything in those presentations are copyrighted, including the publisher’s graphics. Students are not permitted to share the presentations or graphics, post them to the internet, copy/save the presentations, etc. These are only for students in my course. In addition these presentations are only available for a limited time (two weeks).

Security Statement

We want to reassure you that our security officers are here around the clock to ensure the safety and security of the campus community. It’s important to remain alert and aware of your surroundings, especially during the early morning or evening hours. Remember that you can always call security for an escort if you feel uncomfortable walking alone on campus. White security phones can also be found in many of our buildings; simply pick up the phone and security will answer.
Finally, report any suspicious persons to West Campus Security at 407-582-1000, 407-582-1030 (after-hours number) or by using the yellow emergency call boxes located on light poles in the parking lots and along walkways.

Faculty/Student Communication

I want to let you know that I am always here to answer any question you have. I check email and course messages every day. My virtual office door is always open for you. There are several ways that you can communicate with me and that I will communicate with you.

1. For general class information that pertains to all students.

a. I will post announcements in Canvas letting students know about important due dates and other important information. You should check the announcements every time you log on to Canvas. Students are responsible for all of the information that I publish here.

b. On occasion I may send information to students via e-mail if it is something that is time sensitive. Please check your Atlas college email at least every other day.

c. I will have a discussion forum where students can post general questions about class policies and subject matter and I will answer them. I would encourage students to post questions here that way my answers can benefit all students.

2. For private communication students can do the following. Private communication would be for subject matter that is not appropriate to share with the entire class (example—questions about your grades).

a. E-mail me at dfaysash@valenciacollege.edu

b. Send me a private message via Canvas There is an email and messaging utility within Canvas

c. Call me at my Google voice mail (see first page).

I will try my best to answer student communications within 24 hours. Please remember that I work one full time job in addition to being an adjunct instructor. I am usually able to answer emails, return phone calls, etc between 5-9 p.m on weeknights, and between 9 am-8 pm on the weekends. I will also login to my email every day at some point (typically around 5 pm). If I haven't gotten back to you within 24 hours you should assume that I did not get your message. You should then send another message. Also do not double post an urgent message, i.e. in the discussion forum and email. Just send an email. Please don’t call my google voice mail between 9 pm and 8 on the weekends as I will likely be asleep. Seriously I had student wake me up one time and that wasn’t cool.

Here at Valencia College we are committed to providing all students with a quality educational experience. High standards have been set by faculty members for students and themselves. If at any time you have a problem in a class you should first step is to talk with the instructor. If this matter is not resolved then you may talk with the academic dean of the division for your class. We will resolve any issues that come up by working together.

Academic Honesty Statement

This is an uncomfortable subject matter but I need to address with all students so that we are all clear. Overall I would have to say that this only applies to a few students every semester. With that said it is important that you do your own work on your own and that the work you do is your own, not someone else’s.

Each student is required to follow Valencia policy regarding academic honesty. All work submitted by students is expected to be the result of the student’s individual thoughts, research, and self-expression unless the assignment specifically states ‘group project’..

Valencia College has an Academic Honesty policy. Students are responsible for becoming familiar with the policies, rules, and the consequences of violations.

Click here for Valencia College's Academic Honesty Policy.

Click here for Valencia College's Student Code of Conduct

What is academic dishonesty? There are a variety of forms of academic dishonesty which include (but or not limited to).

a. Cheating on a test (working with another student on a test, looking at another student's answers, etc).

b. Plagiarizing—Copying/pasting information from a published source (website, textbook, academic paper, another student's work, etc) as well as changing a few words from published information. When using another author's work students must cite the source and write what they learned, not copying information word for word or just changing a few key terms. Students cannot just simply copy and paste information, or just change a few words and claim it to be their own. Students must submit their own words! Here is a good rule of thumb (which I learned from the link below): When using another author's information read it, look away from the computer/book, and write down what you learned. Of course when you use another author's information you must cite the source.

Here is a good link that explain plagiarism. I would encourage all students to read this.

c. I do encourage students to collaborate together for situations such as studying for tests and discussing course material. However that students are not allowed to work together on class discussion forum postings, quizzes, and the final exam.

What will I do if I find that students have violated the academic dishonesty policy?

Working together on a class assignment (discussion forum, homework,quiz)

First offense—zero on the assignment

Second offense—zero on the assignment, referral the dean of students

Third offense—referral to the dean of students and a failing grade for the course

Cheating (copying answers, working together on a test, etc)

First offense—a zero for the assignment

Second offense—a zero for the assignment and referral to the dean of students.

Third offense—referral to the dean of students and a failing grade for the course.

Plagiarism (copying another author's work word for word or nearly word for word, not citing your sources, etc)

First offense—I will contact the student, explain the situation and how to not plagiarize, and allow the student to redo the assignment.

Second offense—zero for the assignment & referral to the dean of students

Third offense—referral to the dean of students and a failing grade for the course.

I will handle any act of academic dishonesty per the Valencia policy as set forth in the Student Handbook and Catalog. Students are required to follow Valencia's academic dishonesty policy. When students submit work the work should be the student's individual thoughts, self-expression, and research. There are no group projects for this class.

If I suspect a student of cheating then I will likely use “Uni-check” to verify if the work was plagiarized.

Upon detecting the occurrent of plagiarism, I reserve the right to look back at previous written assignments and assessments and if another instance of plagiarism is found then the student will receive an F for the course and a referral to the Dean of Science and the Dean of Students.

Classroom Rules of Student Behavior

Students are responsible for learning about and following Valencia's Student Code of Conduct. Click here for Valencia College's Student Code of Conduct

The primary responsibility for managing the classroom environment rests with the faculty. Students who engage in any prohibited or unlawful acts that result in disruption of a class may be directed by the faculty to leave the class. Violations of any classroom or Valencia's rules may lead to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from Valencia. Disciplinary action could include being withdrawn from class, disciplinary warning, probation, suspension, expulsion, or other appropriate and authorized action.

I will have different expectations for classroom conduct since this is an on-line course. In general a student's conduct should contribute to a positive experience for themselves, their classmates, and their professor. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that doesn't interfere with a student's right to learn and a professor's right to teach, or interfere with the general rights of others (including classmates and the professor). I cannot anticipate every and all possible classroom disruption but I can say this. Students are prohibited from posting inappropriate materials in the Canvas chats, discussion forums, etc. This would include (but is certainly not limited to) posting negative, hostile, demeaning comments, materials, links to websites, etc. If I find that a student is in violation of this policy I will take appropriate action such as (but not limited to) as removing inappropriate posts, warning the student, removing the student from the web course, and to file disciplinary charges with the dean. I will alert the dean if I deem a student's action to be a major offense and/or if the student has been warned once and repeats their behavior.

Computer/Equipment Use Policy

The use of computers at Valencia College (in the Business, IT, and Public Service classrooms) is restricted to activities given by the instructor to enhance course materials. Any other use of computers is strictly forbidden and includes (but is not limited to)

1. Using a computer to send E-mail or access Internet sites that are not assigned for the class.

2. Using a computer for your job, internship, homework and/or anything not assigned in class.

3. Changing any hardware/software settings and configurations.

4. Any activity that violates the Valencia Student Code of Conduct.

5. The Business Students open lab (Bldg 2 Rm 304) is only to be used by students for course activities in the IT or Business departments.

6. Student use of computers is remotely monitored. If a student uses a computer inappropriately then they can be dismissed from class and/or banished from the lab. Any further offense can be referred to the dean for further disciplinary action.

Student Feedback on Instruction (SFI)

Each term students taking courses are asked to complete the electronic Student Feedback on Instruction survey to let us know more about their experiences. It is used at Valencia by faculty members to improve the teaching and learning experience. Faculty cannot access your student feedback until after final grades are posted. Through this link you can find answers to other commonly asked questions about the SFI.

http://valenciacollege.edu/academic-affairs/institutional-effectiveness-planning/institutional-assessment/saicc/SFIFrequentlyAskedQuestions.cfm

Baycare Behavioral Health’s Student Assistance Program

“Valencia is committed to making sure all our students have a rewarding and successful college experience. To that purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help that may assist them with psychological issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or work. Students have 24 hour unlimited access to the Baycare Behavioral Health’s confidential student assistance program phone counseling services by calling (800) 878-5470. Three free confidential face-to-face counseling sessions are also available to students.”

Students with Disabilities Information:

I want to let students know that Valencia is sensitive to and concerned with meeting the needs of all students. Students are encouraged to make their accommodations known to their professors early in the semester.

This statement is from Valencia:

"Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a Notification to Instructor (NTI) form from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class; accommodations will not be applied retroactively. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities."

West Campus SSB, Rm. 102 Phone: 407-582-1523 Fax: 407-582-1326

Additional Information from Valencia

A full description of all College policies can be found in the College Catalog at http://www.valenciacollege.edu/catalog/

The Student Handbook can be found at: http://valenciacollege.edu/studentdev/CampusInformationServices.cfm

The Policy Manual can be found at http://www.valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/

The college calendar can be found at http://valenciacollege.edu/calendar/ for important dates.

Support Services

Valencia college does have support services which can be found by clicking here. Tutoring services are available in bldg. 7-240 (extension 1633). Valencia also recommends

Smarthinking (smarthinking.com), an online on-demand student support site. Finally, Valencia College offers a variety of SkillShops: short seminars covering a variety of topics which deal with student success, goals and purpose. To check out Valencia’s Skillshop offerings, go to: http://valenciacollege.edu/studentservices/skillshops.cfm

Disclaimer

During the semester the need to change either the class schedule of assignments and/or the syllabus may come up. I will do my best to communicate these changes via ATLAS email and Canvas announcements. By continuing to participate in this course after the drop-add deadline constitutes an agreement with and an acceptance of the conditions that are presented in this syllabus.

Study tips/How Much Time You Should Study Each Week

In higher education professor recommend that students should study 2-3 hours for every 1 hour of class time. For a 3 credit course like this one you should probably study 6-9 hours a week. For shortened summer classes you should study 15-20 hours a week. This is just a guideline. You may need to study more than this.

As mentioned earlier I suggested that you read the chapter, outline and take notes on the chapter, read my summary notes, explain the study topics, and visit the web links that I provided for further explanation. In addition read all of the discussion forum posts and whenever possible answer other students' questions. I believe that people learn by repetition. The more a person is exposed to something the more it will sink in. This is what studying is all about.

I can tell you that this is a concepts based course. I am not asking students to memorize definitions, but rather understand the physical processes that govern the atmosphere.

Canvas

Please make sure that you log off of Canvas when you are done. This frees up space on the server for other students to use the system. It also accurately records how much time you are logged in (but remember just logging in does not count for attendance). Don't just close your web browser, actually click on the log out button.

Weather Emergencies

In the case of weather emergencies, you can find out about school closings by signing up to update your information for Valencia Alerts.

College Policies, Procedures and other References

?A full description of all College policies can be found in the College Catalog at

http://www.valenciacollege.edu/catalog/

?Information about maintaining satisfactory academic progress can be found at

http://valenciacollege.edu/finaid/satisfactory_progress.cfm

?The Student Handbook can be found at

http://valenciacollege.edu/pdf/studenthandbook.pdf

?The Policy Manual can be found at

http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel

?The college calendar can be found at

http://valenciacollege.edu/calendar

?Information about the Office for Students with Disabilities can be found at http://valenciacollege.edu/osd/CurrentStudents.cfm

?Final exam schedule can be found at

http://valenciacollege.edu/calendar/FinalExam.cfm

?Information about Valencia’s Skillshop which offers a variety of topics on student success and goals can be found at http://valenciacollege.edu/studentservices/skillshops.cfm

Study tips

Here is an example:

“LEARNING IS AN ACTION VERB!! Most students need to do more than just sit through lectures and reread their notes. Spend 1-2 hour blocks of time EVERY DAY actively writing or discussing concepts to make them a part of your memory. Use the words you learn often, they will sink in betterJ.

Here are some study and classroom management tips that have assisted former students:

- Attend class daily and don’t be tardy. The introduction to each lecture explains the purpose of the entire lecture. Students who follow this rule won’t miss important information.

- REWRITE YOUR NOTES soon after the lecture; if the instructor permits, tape record lectures and replay to refresh your memory when you rewrite your notes.

- Create flash cards with questions you make up from the lecture and lab with answers on the back.

- Use mnemonic devises and other games to remember concepts; go to Google images, YouTube and Khan Academy for additional pictures and videos to clarify concepts.

- Make lists of confusing topics from your studying and ask questions.

- Take advantage of the professor’s office hours.

- JOIN A STUDY GROUP and predict what questions the professor could ask on the test.

- Get the telephone number of one or more buddies in case you are absent from a class.

Learning Support Services information for Faculty and Students

LSS Blurb for Syllabi

Learning Support Services

Valencia offers free services outside of the classroom to assist your learning. The Tutoring Center (7-240) provides math tutoring in a walk-in basis and tutoring for languages, science, business, and many other subjects by appointment. Study rooms are open for reservations and math materials are also available for check out with your Valencia ID card. You can also get tutoring online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through Smarthinking. Click the Tutoring (Online) link in the Course tab in Atlas to access the full schedule of Smarthinking subjects such as various math, writing, business, nursing and allied health, science and computer technology.

The Computer Access Lab (first floor of the Library, Building 6) is an open lab with computers, project spaces, printing, scanning, and equipment check out. One-on-one training is also available for Microsoft Office products, Photoshop, OneDrive, and Blackboard. The Testing Center (11-142) is where you go to make-up exams arranged with your professor, take exams for online classes, or receive pre-arranged special accommodations. Make sure you have your Valencia ID card or a state driver’s license with you when you go to take your test.

CRN 12857 Fall 2019

Introduction to Meteorology (MET1010 – CRN 12857)

Valencia College West Campus Spring 2019

Dear Students,

Prof. Faysash

“Choose a job that you love, and you will never work a day in your life”—Confucius

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name: David Faysash

Office location: This is an on-line course and I do not have an office on campus.

Office phone: You can call my Google voicemail (208) 615-4928 and leave a message. I will try to call you back as soon as I can.

Email: dfaysash@valenciacollege.edu

Fax: I do not have a fax number. If you need to send me a document you can either scan the document or take a picture of it and send it to me via email.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work”—Booker T. Washington

COURSE INFORMATION

Contact days and hours/week: This course will run from August 26-December 15. Students can take their final exam anytime between December 9-14. Since this an on-line course, students can login and do their work at any time. Students are expected to put between 6 and 9 hours per chapter module studying the course material.

Class meeting location(s): There is no meeting location. You will do the work on-line.

Term the course is offered: Spring 2019

Credit hours earned upon passing: 3 hours.

Major Topics/Concepts/Skills/Issues

· Atmospheric Composition

· Heating the Atmosphere

· Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

· Air Pressure, Winds, and Circulation

· Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, and Hurricanes

· Weather Fronts and Forecasting

· Air Pollution and Climate Change

Major Learning Outcomes and Evidence

· Students will be able to discuss the process of heating the atmosphere: Compare and contrast the forms of energy transfer. Discuss the Greenhouse Effect.

· Students will be able to explain the types of weather patterns and methods of forecasting: Compare and contrast warm and cold fronts and distinguish the types of weather that result from each.

· Students will be able to discuss components of the hydrologic cycle: Students will apply knowledge to assess precipitation in an area.

· Students will be able to explain the types of weather patterns and methods of forecasting: Students will apply meteorological knowledge about storms and systems.

Required, Recommended, Supplemental and Optional Instructional Materials

1. Required textbook: Essentials of Meteorology LI with Mindtap. Author: Ahrens. Edition 8.

ISBN 1337584398 You need to purchase the text with the access to the online Mindtap program from Cengage.

You have to in some way, shape, or form have access to the online Cengage Mindtap program that comes with the book. The weekly chapter homework assignments are on it.

I will provide additional information about the book and access to the online components in the introductory module in Canvas.

2. Access to a computer that has regular and reliable Internet connection. Students should plan on logging into the course via Canvas at least 2-3 times per week.

3. In addition to having access to a computer with regular/reliable Internet connection the computer should also have a web browser, word processing software, and a PDF reader.

5. You do not need a special calculator; in fact you can use the calculator on your computer if needed.

6. Students will submit all course assignments electronically. I will return the results to you electronically. This course is entirely paperless.

Delays in getting the textbook

1. Complete all administrative items (downloading/printing the syllabus and schedule, posting an introduction, and returning the class contract) during the first week of the semester.

2. Read the chapter power point lecture slides.

3. Answer the study guide questions—use the chapter lectures slides and/or google search the questions.

4. Read all of the messages posted in the discussion forums (you may only be able to read messages after you have posted something).

5. Go to the publisher's website for the book. See what free resources are available to you. You can also try searching the publisher's website for similar books and different editions.

6. See if slightly older editions of the book or similar meteorology books are available from the library.

7. You will still have to participate in the weekly forum discussions for this class. If you follow suggestions 1-7 you should be able to still successfully participate.

Refund of Fees & Important Dates

Drop/Refund deadline (September 3rd @ 11:59 p.m.)

Student Withdrawal deadline (November 1st @ 11:59 p.m.)

Click on this weblink for a calendar of important dates.

Course Mechanics